Wow, roadies are a-holes...who knew?

[limewave]

The general trend I've noticed is that most roadies are arrogant elitists. I'm married to one and it drives me nuts.

[spokewench]

I call them "THE BOYS" - cause they are so immature and selfish.

[7rider]

My first reply was going to say "let me correct that statement: It's not 'men on road bikes are jerks', but "men are jerks.' It's just the odd good one we find that we can term "DH" that are the stand outs.
But then, as I continued to read your post, my reply became "Take heart. Those weren't "real cyclists" you saw."
It's not that men on road bikes are jerks, it's just that *those* men on road bikes are jerks. Or rather, those men are jerks. Or, those humanoids posing as men are jerks.
You get the idea.

[mimitabby]

what Regina said.
However, the guy puffing and panting up the hilll probably didn't want to talk to ANYONE!

[jobob]

This might come as a surprise - it did to me - but some of the rudest roadies I've ever encountered were women. More specifically, two or more women riding together in matching full-zoot team kits.

Maybe it makes more of an impression on me than similar behavior from men because I've pretty much come to expect it from men .

[GLC1968]

because I've pretty much come to expect it from men .

No kidding. You'd think I wouldn't be so suprised.

I think the part that hit me the hardest was that when I was on my road bike, the same two guys (not the inexperienced ones) waved at me! I'm going to keep a running tab to see if these are just not-nice people, or if the bike had anything to do with it.

[littlegrasshopp]

My DF was a roadie when we met. He wouldn't even wave to ME on my beginner rides!! He's mostly a mountain biker now and I enjoy rides with him much more. He's realized he use to get way to "training" focussed and didn't enjoy what he was doing. Now he cycles and enjoys himself a lot more.

At a recent group trail ride, one of the guys stayed behind with his 6 year old daughter. They road the beginner trails and then played on the small road leading into the park. It's off a great set of roads for cyclists so they get lots of traffic by all bikes types. He started counting the roadies that went by and how many returned waves to his beatiful, cute little girl who was so excited to see others on bikes like her. 65 roadies passed them - not one single wave. He said every single mountain biker waved and several stopped to talk to her about her sweet bike and helmet

I hope it's just mindset.....a lot of the group rides here are so speed focussed and "paceline" focussed that they don't have time to enjoy what they're doing until it's over with. All our mountain bike trails have play areas so you can't get TOO into your time or training mindset!

[GLC1968]

Littlegrasshopp - you reminded me of something...

A couple of weeks ago, DH and I were riding one of our longer training rides. We had just completed about 75 miles and were on our way home. The route home took us past this intersection where two main roads and two major greenways (paved multi-use trails) converge. There is always a lot of car, bike and foot traffic through there. We sailed through the intersection (with the light, of course!) and rode past a young woman on a bike with three young boys behind her. They were all on the sidewalk waiting to cut across the road onto to the trail and I noticed that all of them were wearing helmets (not a common thing for kids around here...unfortunately). As we passed them, two of the boys half-waved at us in a somewhat timid way. DH and I both waved back enthusiasticaly. As I was in the back, I heard them say to each other..."did you see that?! They waved back!!"

What is wrong with our society that three seemingly responsible young riders would be so suprised that two adults on road bikes would wave to them?

It makes me want to ride my road bike more often just so that I can wave at everyone and help dispell this stigma!!